Trinidad down in Lake Huron
- Thread starter ApacheBob
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TMetzinger
Final Approach
That was Karen Dodds (one of my former mentorees) and her fiance Brooke Stauffer in N96DF. Cause is still unknown and the bodies have not been found yet.
Folks who know/knew either of them can communicate with the family and each other at http://karenandbrooke.blogspot.com/
Sadly,
Tim
Folks who know/knew either of them can communicate with the family and each other at http://karenandbrooke.blogspot.com/
Sadly,
Tim
AdamZ
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Adam Zucker
Whew my first though was were is Kaye. I know she's headed up to 6Y9er.Not happy its your mentee Tim but very relieved that its not kaye.e
Second. Very sorry to hear that it was infact your mentee Tim. Was this the trinnie you rented out of KFDK?
Second. Very sorry to hear that it was infact your mentee Tim. Was this the trinnie you rented out of KFDK?
TMetzinger
Final Approach
Nope - Kaye was going to take a Diamond up there, I believe, and I think work stuff has interfered with her trip, since I'm now taking the Diamond to Akron on Saturday.
No this was not the rental Trin that Ben and I have flown. I believe Karen was a partner/owner in the airplane. Thanks for your sympathy.
Bill
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TMetzinger
Final Approach
I'm going to copy a post from a "graybeard" on our local DCPilots mailing list.
=================================================
It seems like we, or at least I, go through this a couple of times a
year. Either we lose someone on the list, or somebody I or a bunch of
us know, or some combination. They say that licensed pilots are less
than 2% of the population of the country, but off the top of my head I
can come up with 20 or so pilots I have known that we've lost the hard
way in the last ten years or so. That's two a year, which even I can
figure out. Of all the other people I know, I think something like five
have lost their lives in accidents of one sort or another, and that's
going back as far as I can remember.
I'm not going to get into the argument about the relative safety of
flying as opposed to all the other things people do, but one thing
that's clear is that the risks are different and that the penalties far
greater. Experience is a rough teacher; first we get the test and then
the lesson. Sometimes, life is like that.
Nobody becomes a pilot by accident. It takes hard work to begin with
and then more hard work to keep up. The pilots I know are also some of
the smartest people I know, and that's not a coincidence. But, the
nature and physics of flying dictate that we're pushing the envelope of
our resources. Sometimes, it breaks.
Those of us who commit aviation are a small community. As I said, I
didn't know Karen and that's my loss. But, I'm very tired of losing
members of this community and especially people whom I've come into
contact in with one way or another. Our thoughts are with their
families, coworkers, and everyone else who knew them.
Obviously, I've no clue what happened in this instance, but I ask that
everyone take a step back and double-check everything. Be sure, and be
careful. This routine is getting very, very tired.
=======================================================
If what this fine gentleman said resonates with you, and causes you to recover that determination to be "perfect" in your flying, then Karen's death will not have been without some redeeming effects.
=================================================
It seems like we, or at least I, go through this a couple of times a
year. Either we lose someone on the list, or somebody I or a bunch of
us know, or some combination. They say that licensed pilots are less
than 2% of the population of the country, but off the top of my head I
can come up with 20 or so pilots I have known that we've lost the hard
way in the last ten years or so. That's two a year, which even I can
figure out. Of all the other people I know, I think something like five
have lost their lives in accidents of one sort or another, and that's
going back as far as I can remember.
I'm not going to get into the argument about the relative safety of
flying as opposed to all the other things people do, but one thing
that's clear is that the risks are different and that the penalties far
greater. Experience is a rough teacher; first we get the test and then
the lesson. Sometimes, life is like that.
Nobody becomes a pilot by accident. It takes hard work to begin with
and then more hard work to keep up. The pilots I know are also some of
the smartest people I know, and that's not a coincidence. But, the
nature and physics of flying dictate that we're pushing the envelope of
our resources. Sometimes, it breaks.
Those of us who commit aviation are a small community. As I said, I
didn't know Karen and that's my loss. But, I'm very tired of losing
members of this community and especially people whom I've come into
contact in with one way or another. Our thoughts are with their
families, coworkers, and everyone else who knew them.
Obviously, I've no clue what happened in this instance, but I ask that
everyone take a step back and double-check everything. Be sure, and be
careful. This routine is getting very, very tired.
=======================================================
If what this fine gentleman said resonates with you, and causes you to recover that determination to be "perfect" in your flying, then Karen's death will not have been without some redeeming effects.
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Jason W (FlyNE)
Thanks for posting that, Tim.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. These sudden losses can leave the biggest holes.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. These sudden losses can leave the biggest holes.
Ken Ibold
Final Approach
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Ken Ibold
Oh so true. This is why a prudent pilot studies accident reports. You look in airplane magazines, you see 'em. You look in boating magazines, you don't.
Every time flip on the mags, I think of my family and govern my actions accordingly.
astanley
En-Route
Tim,
Firstly, my sympathies to you in this time of loss.
Ken,
This is so very true. The boating community especially doesn't do the safety thing very well, IMO, as evidenced by the same types of accidents happening over time. Just this past weekend we had a guy end up in his wheel, after going up on the bow "to enjoy the view" in busy, sloppy seas. Driver crossed behind another wake, bow action chucked him off, and, well, we know where the rest of this goes.
One of the first things I learned when I stepped on foot a boat: never, ever go up on the bow under way UNLESS it is an emergency. This can only be waived on non-powered boats, but even then, remember, falls from the bow hurt twice: when you hit the sea and when the boat hits you.
It saddens me that this story will not get much press in the boating rags, and most people will go about their way, blithely unaware as to what they are doing or letting others do on their boat.
Cheers,
-Andrew
woodstock
Final Approach
Tim, very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. 
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
Tim, I'd like to offer my condolences as well.
Capflyer
Pre-takeoff checklist
Tim, I'm very sorry for your loss. I was participating in the search and learned much about Karen while I was doing it.
It was a tragic outcome, but I hope we helped the family to some closure by locating the aircraft. Actually, it has not totally been located yet but we found enough debris to make a positive identification and determine where it is.
TMetzinger
Final Approach
Mike, thanks to all of you who participated in the many hours of searching for the airplane. Our DCPilots community plan on sending the CAP and other organizations a thank-you letter for all your work on behalf of two of our own.
We're also coordinating with the family for us to fund a plaque in Karen's memory at the Oshkosh memorial wall next year.
We're also coordinating with the family for us to fund a plaque in Karen's memory at the Oshkosh memorial wall next year.
Capflyer
Pre-takeoff checklist
Tom, you are most welcome. This is what we train for and I only wish the outcome would have been different. When I'm on a search, I always visualize-hope-keep my fingers crossed that we will find them alive. Sometimes we do, but unfortunately not in this case but like I said, I hope we at least could help the family bring some closure to this tragedy.